Shuttlers Vaishnavi, Ruthvika stun higher ranked rivals

Karnataka's Vaishnavi Iyer, the 14th seed, and unseeded G Ruthvika Shivani of Andhra Pradesh created upsets by knocking out higher ranked rivals to enter the girls under-19 quarter-finals of the 3rd Gautam Thakkar Memorial All India Junior Badminton Tournament today.
Ruthvika toppled third seed Shriyanshi Pardeshi of Air India, winning the pre quarter-final clash rather easily at 21-6, 21-16, while Vaishnavi kept her cool and focus to knock out No. 5 seed Kanika Kanwal of Delhi in another pre quarter-final tie at the Bombay Gymkhana courts here.
Vaishnavi was steady against the Delhi shuttler and recorded a hard-fought 21-17 19-21 21-11 verdict.

Top seed Reshma Karthik, representing Air India, stormed into the quarter-finals with an authoritative 21-18 21-15 win over 11th seed Santoshi Hasini R of Andhra Pradesh.
Fourth seed Mahima Aggrawal of Karnataka had a scare against Praanjal Taneja of Delhi before advancing to the last eight. The Bangalore-based Mahima was taken the distance before pulling through at 21-12 23-25 21-10.
In boys' under-17 singles action, top seed Chirag Sen of Air India had to toil hard to overcome Arintap Dasgupta of West Bengal.
In a well-contested pre quarter-final match, Chirag lost the opening game but came back strongly to win the next two to complete an 18-21 21-12 22-20 victory.

Second seed Kanishq M of Andhra Pradesh had an easy outing getting past Haryana's Kartik Jindal in straight games at 21-17 21-12.